symbolism, which refers to the meaning(beyond Impact on Functional Effectiveness and Efficiency functionality) that members in the culture hold and on Interpersonal Relationships: Being reachable about possessing and using a mobile device. Societies anywhere and at any time has obvious advantages, where the penetration of mobile technology is not such as improved coordination and the elimination substantial may view these devices as a young of wasted time when waiting for input from individ thing, " "a rich thing, and"a cool thing, and con- uals who may be traveling, visiting, or wandering tribute to the users' perception of an enhanced sense This positive orientation to mobile technology of self-importance reflected in the view expressed by one of our sub Critical Mass: For an individual to use a wireless jects: mobility means efficiency. Given that wire device, particularly its data features, a significant less phones are carried around by users, they may be number of members of the subject's social network able to "fill time, implying the users can call some needed to be users of the same features. Further, the one, check email, or send text messages in time slots availability of a sufficient number of mobile Web between other scheduled activities, while wandering services(such as news or chat services)increased the from one point to another on campus or while trav use of data features and, subsequently, the chances of eling from home to work. Sometimes, the filling of adoption time is equivalent to the killing of time when the individuals use the mobile devices merely to keep The Use process themselves engaged or entertained in a free time slot The first step in the use process is Exploration and (or in a time slot that should have been put to more Experimentation, which involves the following productive use); otherwise, mobile devices can Mr boice of appropriate medium of communication enable"shifting"of time, for example, by checking the level of synchronicity: This refers to the email and reading/sending short messages durin medium used when communicating through a wire- time slots between scheduled activities. less device(for example, voice, text messaging, Having access to a mobile device also enabled email)and the synchronicity of the medium chosen users to take care of various business and social (the degree of delay involved in a bidirectional infor- obligations throughout the day, almost in real time mation exchange) as issues are confronted, rather than batching all the Choice of extent, mode, and exclusiveness of use: messages and responding later upon returning to This is related to the frequency and volume of com- one's workstation. Benefits notwithstanding, there municating with a wireless device, whether the par- are a number of potentially negative effects on pro- ticipant primarily acts as an initiator, recipient, or fessional and social relationships, most arising from oth, and the extent to which such a device is uti- encroachment of personal/ family time due to con lized as compared to tethered devices for communi- tinuous interruption through the mobile device cation, coordination, and Web access needs given the norm of constant availability, and from Adjustment of cognitive frame regarding technology: unmet expectations regarding responsiveness, as an This involves the process of reframing mobile tech- individual switches off or ignores mobile devices nology as new motivations, modes, and conse- to limit the uncontrolled intrusion of others on quences of applying the technology emerge over personal time time. The adjustment of the cognitive frame also Psychosocial outcomes: In addition to the more tan includes learning to improvise in order to bypass the gible impacts of mobile technology use discussed current limitations of mobile technology that are previously, a number of psychosocial impacts being explored and experimented with. For example, observed: a sense of safety and security during through innovation in work practices and organiza- eling, elevated self-worth professionally or in a social tion(socially configuring the group as a "ring net- group, a feeling of irritation with society's prediled work), a group of subjects utilized a technology tion for mobile technology, and a sense of physical enabling one-to-one communication as a group col- and cognitive attachment with the mobile device laboration technology users may feel out of the loop or detached" with- q The second step of the process can be labeled the out the mobile device that they may be accustomed ssessment of the Experience(that is, Exploration to carrying). Interestingly, users of mobile devices and Experimentation) with the device, which, in experienced a simultaneous sense of freedom from turn,recursively influences the manner in which the being bound to their desks with a tethered device, yet devices are utilized. Users appeared to assess their at the same time, a sense of captivity owing to the experiences on at least three dimensions: functional, compulsiveness of responding to communication ini- psychosocial, and relational tiated by others at any or every time COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM December 2003/Vol 46. No 12 39symbolism, which refers to the meaning (beyond functionality) that members in the culture hold about possessing and using a mobile device. Societies where the penetration of mobile technology is not substantial may view these devices as “a young thing,” “a rich thing,” and “a cool thing,” and con￾tribute to the users’ perception of an enhanced sense of self-importance. Critical Mass: For an individual to use a wireless device, particularly its data features, a significant number of members of the subject’s social network needed to be users of the same features. Further, the availability of a sufficient number of mobile Web services (such as news or chat services) increased the use of data features and, subsequently, the chances of adoption. The Use Process The first step in the use process is Exploration and Experimentation, which involves the following. Choice of appropriate medium of communication and the level of synchronicity: This refers to the medium used when communicating through a wire￾less device (for example, voice, text messaging, email) and the synchronicity of the medium chosen (the degree of delay involved in a bidirectional infor￾mation exchange). Choice of extent, mode, and exclusiveness of use: This is related to the frequency and volume of com￾municating with a wireless device, whether the par￾ticipant primarily acts as an initiator, recipient, or both, and the extent to which such a device is uti￾lized as compared to tethered devices for communi￾cation, coordination, and Web access needs. Adjustment of cognitive frame regarding technology: This involves the process of reframing mobile tech￾nology as new motivations, modes, and conse￾quences of applying the technology emerge over time. The adjustment of the cognitive frame also includes learning to improvise in order to bypass the current limitations of mobile technology that are being explored and experimented with. For example, through innovation in work practices and organiza￾tion (socially configuring the group as a “ring net￾work”), a group of subjects utilized a technology enabling one-to-one communication as a group col￾laboration technology. The second step of the process can be labeled the Assessment of the Experience (that is, Exploration and Experimentation) with the device, which, in turn, recursively influences the manner in which the devices are utilized. Users appeared to assess their experiences on at least three dimensions: functional, psychosocial, and relational. Impact on Functional Effectiveness and Efficiency, and on Interpersonal Relationships: Being reachable anywhere and at any time has obvious advantages, such as improved coordination and the elimination of wasted time when waiting for input from individ￾uals who may be traveling, visiting, or wandering. This positive orientation to mobile technology is reflected in the view expressed by one of our sub￾jects: “mobility means efficiency.” Given that wire￾less phones are carried around by users, they may be able to “fill” time, implying the users can call some￾one, check email, or send text messages in time slots between other scheduled activities, while wandering from one point to another on campus or while trav￾eling from home to work. Sometimes, the filling of time is equivalent to the “killing” of time when the individuals use the mobile devices merely to keep themselves engaged or entertained in a free time slot (or in a time slot that should have been put to more productive use); otherwise, mobile devices can enable “shifting” of time, for example, by checking email and reading/sending short messages during time slots between scheduled activities. Having access to a mobile device also enabled users to take care of various business and social obligations throughout the day, almost in real time as issues are confronted, rather than batching all the messages and responding later upon returning to one’s workstation. Benefits notwithstanding, there are a number of potentially negative effects on pro￾fessional and social relationships, most arising from encroachment of personal/family time due to con￾tinuous interruption through the mobile device given the norm of constant availability, and from unmet expectations regarding responsiveness, as an individual switches off or ignores mobile devices to limit the uncontrolled intrusion of others on personal time. Psychosocial outcomes: In addition to the more tan￾gible impacts of mobile technology use discussed previously, a number of psychosocial impacts were observed: a sense of safety and security during trav￾eling, elevated self-worth professionally or in a social group, a feeling of irritation with society’s predilec￾tion for mobile technology, and a sense of physical and cognitive attachment with the mobile device (users may feel “out of the loop” or “detached” with￾out the mobile device that they may be accustomed to carrying). Interestingly, users of mobile devices experienced a simultaneous sense of freedom from being bound to their desks with a tethered device, yet, at the same time, a sense of captivity owing to the compulsiveness of responding to communication ini￾tiated by others at any or every time. COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM December 2003/Vol. 46, No. 12 39